Saliva + Supports, Max Watts, Melbourne, Australia

Continuing with their second-leg on their first ever Australian Tour, Saliva ripped the roof off of Max Watt’s with unmatched tenacity last night.

Yes, you heard correctly. Saliva have been in the circuit for a little over twenty years, but this tour they’re currently undergoing is the first time they’ve stepped foot on Australian soil as a band … and it’s been long overdue!

The die-hard Saliva fans that turned out early treated to a performance that, although wouldn’t rival that of Saliva later that night, showcased its own level of dominance in the form of Chasing Lana. Now, I’ll be honest with you. Prior to last night’s show, I had no idea who these guys are (nor did I realise at the time I was rubbing shoulders with them in line amidst the other fans waiting for the doors to open), but they’re well and truly on my radar now that I’ve heard what they’ve got to offer. Their half hour set, although limited in duration, had no limitations when it came to the chaos and charisma that they exerted throughout their performance. Tracks such as Fade Away, Suffocate/Medicate, and From The Inside were popular with the crowd who, surprisingly, consisted of a very strong Chasing Lana fan base that not only sung every word to their songs, but worked overtime to get the other fans involved. If you haven’t checked these guys out, be sure to check them out; you won’t be disappointed!

Witchgrinder took to the stage after a small intermission, and was (unfortunately) met with one of the most dull and uninterested crowds that I personally have ever seen at a metal concert. They looked alive, but medically would have all been declared dead. It’s disappointing that they had to deal with such a reception because they belted out a solid performance, boasting energy and charisma. Their unique, heavy tones combined with ambiance of howling wolves and looming darkness carried through seamlessly, and was great to listen to. You could see a few people buzzing here and there, but they deserved a hell of a lot more of a reception then they received. Rigor Mortis was notably one of their strongest performances, amidst a few others. If you haven’t checked these guys out go do so; you’ll be pleasantly surprised at how easy it is to fall in love with their music.

Max Watt’s was suddenly hit with a swarm of Saliva fans who seemingly were hiding away until it was time to see the main attraction. There must have been a doctor in the house, because the crowd who were pronounced dead only twenty minutes prior all of a sudden breathed life again, and welcomed Saliva to the stage to a thunderous applause. The lights hit, and Ladies and Gentlemen opened what was possibly the highest-octane performance Melbourne will see this year. The bass thumping throughout the room would have been enough to have Swanston Street shaking, let alone the venue!

Front man Bobby Amaru instantly had Melbourne eating from the palm of his hand, hanging on every lyric that left his lips. The way he commanded the stage throughout the night was a sight to behold. Some fans might argue this is not an ‘authentic Saliva show’ because it was without past members who were in the earlier stages, however what we were given was an experience like none other, and that’s due to members like Amaru who have added their own flare to the disposition without compromising the band’s sound.

Nostalgia continued to personify itself and slapped the crowd in the face with Superstar and Army, and instant trip down memory lane for most fans who grew up listening to the band through their “glory years”. They showed no sign of slowing down throughout the slow, maintaining the same level of performance from start to finish, which was as clean cut as it was brutally beautiful. Doperide had the crowd in an absolute frenzy, Always slowed things right down but didn’t fail to maintain the high energy levels created prior, but there was one song that was on everyone’s mind … and by everyone I mean my own. What could be any better than being at a Saliva concert and rocking out to Click Click Boom? BEING IN A MOSH DURING CLICK CLICK BOOM! Then to have the icing on the cake in form of tracks like Your Disease, wow! The night closed out with Saliva grouping together and taking their bows in front of a crowd that, surprisingly, were still extremely vocal by the end.

Many would have walked out a bit battered and bruised, worse for wear, however you want to put it; but there’s no way any fan would have walked out of that place disappointed after having witnessed one of the best f***ing metal shows you’ll see all year! One can only hope this isn’t a once-in-a-lifetime event and we see them returning to Australia soon; and if they do, you’d want to make sure you get yourself a ticket because it’s one show you need to have on your metal Bucketlist!